1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for detecting the position of a sound source using an audio signal. More particularly, it relates to a method and system for detecting position information of a user of a personal computer simulation or game machine.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, personal-use simulation or game machines capable of operating a simulation or game by means of a user swinging an attached remote controller in a hand or turning it to a screen have emerged and become popular, Non-Patent Document 1. For example, a motion sensor, infrared light CMOS sensor, built in the remote controller, referred to as a remote control, detects acceleration. A pointer in the remote control receives light from light-emitting means, a sensor bar, installed near a video display screen, enabling detection of the direction and distance of the remote control to the video display.
Also, a microphone array technique using an audio signal for position detection is conventionally known, Patent Document 1. For example, the direction of a target sound source can be estimated by calculating a Crosspower Spectrum Phase (CSP) coefficient between sounds observed by two microphones, Non-Patent Document 2. Further, there are known techniques: a technique using a test pattern for a sound source, Patent Document 2; a technique using a different frequency band for each sound source, Patent Document 3; a technique for performing two-dimensional or three-dimensional position estimation using multiple microphone arrays, Patent Document 4.
Patent references include documents: Patent Document 1, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-134688; Patent Document 2, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-110357; Patent Document 3, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-181088; and Patent Document 4, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-156552.
Non-patent references include: Non-Patent Document 1, “Wii Remote,” http://ja.wikipedia.org, Jun. 30, 2008; and Non-Patent Document 2, T. Nishiura, T. Yamada, S. Nakamura, K. Shikano, “Localization of multiple sound sources based on a CSP analysis with a microphone array,” Proceedings of the Acoustics, Speech, and Signal Processing, 2000 IEEE International Conference, Volume 02, 2000.